Are there vitamins that can increase fertility?

For men, three major factors affect fertility, and they're all related to sperm:

Sperm count - the number of sperm

Sperm motility - the ability for the sperm to move

Sperm quality - health and vitality of the sperm

And this makes sense, because a lot of healthy sperm that can move quickly have a better chance at fertilizing an egg.

Several vitamins have been shown to increase sperm count, including vitamin B12, vitamin C, vitamin E and folic acid. (The minerals selenium and zinc can increase sperm count, as well.) Because a folic acid deficiency is often related to low sperm count or poor sperm quality in men, taking a folic acid supplement can increase the amount of healthy sperm.

Vitamin C and vitamin B12 are good for sperm count, motility and quality. Serious vitamin C deficiencies can sometimes result in damaged sperm, while vitamin B12 is known to promote healthy DNA.

A vitamin that's thought to be especially good for male fertility is vitamin E. One study conducted with men who had high sperm counts but low rates of fertilization found that, when they were given vitamin E supplements for a month, their fertilization rates increased by 10 percent [source: Hudson].

While we don't know for sure if all of these vitamins have a direct impact on helping you make a baby, we do know that overall good health can increase the chances of conceiving and having a healthy pregnancy. And besides, making sure you get the right vitamins and nutrients contributes to overall good health. Combined with a healthy lifestyle, vitamins and proper nutrition can go a long way toward making your body baby-ready.

To learn more about reproduction, fertility and even vitamins, take a look at the links below.

Vitamin A and Pregnancy

It's great to get the right amount of vitamins all the time, and especially during pregnancy. But getting too much of some vitamins can actually be harmful to the fetus. Excess amounts of vitamin A, for instance, can increase the risk of serious birth defects. Vitamin A can be found in most crustaceans, so doctors recommend avoiding vitamin A supplements and certain shellfish before and during pregnancy [source: Anderson].